The Change
by Mysterious-Vixen
Summary: Instead of wishing for his father love what if Zuko began hating his father on the night of his banishment?
1. Prologue

Okay I'm pretty neutral when it comes to any shippers in Avatar: the last airbender. Except incest ones. Eww. But I have a soft spot for Zutara. With Kataang I can see it happening if Aang was a bit older. Sorry, I just feel that true love does not start at a very young age, crushes do.

Disclaimer: Don't own anything but my original character. What sucks is that I still don't get paid for this…hence that is why people pay you by reviewing! PLEASE LEAVE ME A REVIEW!

Instead wishing for his father love what if Zuko began hating his father on the night of his banishment?

* * *

Prologue

A storm had past over a lone fire nation ship. The waves had attacked viciously as the men on board tried their best to steady the ship. Even a young seventeen year old boy tried his best in navigating the helmsman as he could while his uncle had been struck against the wall by a sudden. Panic rose amongst the men until finally a powerful wave smashed through the helm, taking the boy with him.

Darkness was welcoming.

Swept away.

Floating.

Hours slowly sank through the sea while the sky cleared for the full moon.

Floating.

The cold was seeping in while the stars sparkled.

Floating.

Then something with a strong grip pulled him out of the water before he smacked against solid ground. Close by there was another thump and very light footstep coming towards him. A warm breath covered his face as two fingers pressed against his weak pulse.

"Lucky boy." A honey silk voice said as the fingers were removed. "Few more minutes and the spirit world would have welcomed you."

It was female but the voice was nothing like that of any he had heard before. He had to be imagining it. Slowly he opened his eyes to meet light grey/blue eyes while the rest of the face was silhouetted by the moon. Very much female.

"Hmm golden dragon eyes. You are of the royal kind" she said.

"Where am I?" he asked, his voice soar from shouting when the wave took him.

"Naibun Island. Who are you?" she curtly said.

"Prince Zuko" he said without thinking.

He cringed when he saw her eyes darkened slightly before they became normal again. He was weak and this person was going to kill him, saved by her and then later killed. How ironic.

"Very well, it is best if I take you to the village, however, you better take this." She said, pulling off her hooded cloak. "Don't want anyone to be recognising you"

He was stunned by the information that she was still helping him. Didn't his nation try to take over all the other nations? But she was standing there waiting for him to get up. Slowly he tried to but he collapses. His whole body ached from all the pain of being smacked around in the sea.

"Brilliant, you can't walk" she sighed "Why do I get myself into these things?"

Sometime later Zuko was placed into a warm hut where a roaring fire was cooking some food. He wrapped up in a very warm blanket and sitting on a mattress near the flames, keeping warm. Now there was light he could see the girl's soft features. Raven hair with widow's peek under her hooded clothing, pale peachy skin, a slightly turned-up nose and cupid lips; thin at the top lip, full at the bottom lip. All went very nicely with her blue/grey eyes. Silm with some muscle tone from what he could see from her green legs and arm wraps, other than that she was wearing a long brown sleeveless kimono dress with splits on the sides and hard brown shoes. She would probably be deemed pretty if it wasn't for the serious scowl on her face.

"Why are you helping me?" Zuko asked.

"Because you needed it. That and because you can not leave unless the Spirit Naibun allows it" the girl said. "He may have let you live out of compassion but if your heart is good and true then he will let you go. If you try to leave and intend to harm his Island and the inhabitants you'll have a string of very _bad_ luck that'll get worse and worse."

"I don't believe in that stuff. I have to get off this island, my uncle will be very worried" Zuko said.

"Have you ever heard of this island?" the girl asked grabbing the ladle in the pot.

"No but my uncle would he knows a lot of things" Zuko said confidently.

"The spiritual magic of this place is made of secrets and forever be a secret. You may remember it if you leave but you'll never be able to say a word of it." The girl said she began to pour some soup into a bowl "Forever remaining a secret. Hungry?" offering him a bowl of hot soup.

"No" Zuko said.

"You've been floating around for Naibun knows how long. You have to eat or you won't have the strength to go home" the girl said.

Zuko looked away.

"I have no home" Zuko said softly.

The girl frowned worriedly placing the bowl down to listen.

"I have to get back to my uncle" Zuko said "He is the only family I have left."

"What about your parents and sister?" the girl asked.

Zuko gave her a cold glare. "My mother is gone and father and sister are dead to me."

"Talk about a killjoy" the girl muttered to herself before looking back at him. "I'd like to help you find your uncle."

"I don't need your help" Zuko growled.

"My goodness you are either one very stubborn boy or the sea salt has gone to your head." The girl said.

"There is nothing wrong with me" Zuko barked.

"Well then, eat" the girl said, thrusting the bowl of soup to him "I don't like seeing wasted food"

"I am not a child!" Zuko said.

"You sure are acting like one" she snapped back.

Zuko snorted and grabbed the bowl from her and sipped the soup. To his surprise the taste seemed to bring back his senses and the full realisation of how hungry and thirsty he was. Within seconds his guzzled it down in minutes, forgetting his table manners, while the girl watched unaffected, sipping her soup quietly. Once he was finished the girl took his bowl and filled it back to the top and gave it back to him. This time he took his time with the soup, admiring how good it is while she finished hers. Once he was finished with his third she took the bowl away from him and was about to fill it again when he stopped her.

"I am full now" he said.

She nodded and took the bowl away along with her, leaving him by the fire. When she returned with an extra blanket for him. She gently placed it on him while he lied down on the mattress.

"Do not mistake my kindness for servitude Prince Zuko I am not of your nation and so I don't give a hoot. I will look after you while you are under my care. The day you become strong again, will be the day I won't be babying you." The girl said "Got it?"

"Got it" Zuko growled, insulted when she mentioned 'babying'.

"Good. Now how on earth did you get you get yourself drifting in the sea" the girl asked.

"Why would you care?" Zuko barked.

"Just want to point you in the right direction to your uncle when you leave that's all" the girl said.

"My Uncle will find this Island" Zuko said with determination.

"Your uncle is probably seeking 'you' not 'safety'. That is part of the magic of the island." The girl said "That is one of the reasons why no one knows it even exists. Your uncle won't find you, you have to find him. How did you come about the drifting?"

Zuko was getting sick and tired of this girl but she was most likely to be a ticket out of there.

"There was a storm and a wave threw me over board" Zuko said, somewhat reluctant.

The girl stared at him for a few moments of thinking before she got up. She began brushing the dirt off her dress as she straightened up.

"I'm going to the village elder, he'll know where the storm was and which way the winds and waves your ship would have taken by accident" the girl said. "If anyone comes in your name is Li, understand?"

"I understand" Zuko said.

"Good" the girl nodded before she turned to head off.

"What is your name" Zuko asked.

"Yochi" the girl said and left.

* * *

If you think she's a Mary-Sue you are extremely wrong. I can't stand Mary-Sue's, I don't mind if authors put a little of themselves into some characters when trying to act out a part and it feels right to them or how some/most stories are given life if there are past experiences in them and the stories turns out really good ones. Yochi has a purpose to this story and it isn't for couple shipping. NO MARY SUE! The only character that remotely comes close to me is Toph on cactus juice! ;)

So after my little rant all I can say is please leave me a good honest review that way I can develop this story to your liking.


	2. Chapter 1: Veggie World

Chapter 1: Veggie World!

"I'm hungry!" Sokka whined for fifteenth time.

Katara rolled her eyes at her brother. Katara and Sokka were brother and sister from the Southern watertribe. Katara was waterbender though her skills were lacking her emotions made her powerful. Sokka was no bender despite being brother to one, he was more of a inventor and highly talented with whatever weapon he picked up. Both siblings held determination and were creative to there own strengths. They were also friends of Aang, the avatar. A being that could wield the four elements and kept balance between all four nations. However Aang had only mastered the element of air and was learning from what Katara had learned by herself. That was why they were heading to the Northern Watertribe for the Southern Watertribe held no Waterbender Masters. There transport happened to be Appa, a ten tonne Sky Bison that was Aang's animal guide.

"Your always hungry Sokka" Katara said petting Momo, the flying lemur.

"We've run out of food Katara, how are we going to survive if have no food!" Sokka shouted.

"We could always fish" Katara said.

Sokka imeadiately paled in Appa's saddle. They had been eating fish for a week and had been getting to him for the lack of RED meat.

"Hey guys! I found an Island!" Aang cheered from Appa's head.

The watertribe siblings instantly perked at the sound of that and looked to Anngs direction but saw nothing.

"Ha ha Anng, very funny!" Sokka said sarcastically.

"No I'm not kidding it's right there!" Anng said, pointing to an area of the sea.

"I still don't see it Aang" Katara said.

"It's there Katara! I swear!" Aang said. "I'm taking Appa down"

With that Appa begun descend from the sky.

"And into the water? Anng, your seeing things there's nothing there!" Sokka said.

But Sokka was wrong when island begun to materialise ten meters in front of them. The island was full of life, beaches, forests and two large moutains covered the terrain while in the valley there was a village. To which Appa landed into, right in front of a startled woman but then smiled.

"Hello young ones, my name is Nara, wife to Village leader here on Naibun Island" the woman said.

"Naibun Island? The Secret Island?" Anng exclaimed excitedly as he jump off Appa to the woman.

"Yes, not many people can find this place" Nara said "How is it that you can? I see none of you are in distress."

"Well I am" Sokka said popping his head over Appa's saddle and was pointing to himself with his thumb "I'm distressfully hungry."

Nara raised an eyebrow as her eyes looked passively at him.

"I see…" she drawled.

"Aang saw the island before any of us did. He happens to be the Avatar" Katara said, her head in the same fashion as her brothers.

Nara smiled in realisation and looked at Aang with a happy gaze.

"That could be the reason why you could see this place. The Island belongs to Spirit Naibun, our protector. This place would most likely to be a gateway to the Spirit World being that this is his home" Nara sighed with happiness "Such beauty this place has, unfortunately not many people can return here once they leave."

"Why?" Sokka asked.

At this point Sokka and Katara got Appa while Momo was wrapped around Katara's neck like a gentle scarf.

"Those who seek safety can always find this place; those who don't seek safety won't find it all. Unless you're the avatar" Nara said "Or Yochi"

"Yochi?" Katara asked.

"A girl here who comes and goes off the island regularly coming back with bits and pieces, sometimes even supplies for us but lately she's been hanging around a lot longer than usual. There's a rumour going around that she is taking care of someone or she is ill. Either way it is a crying shame who love meat" Nara said.

"Wha-what?" Sokka said in fear.

"Well we can't hunt the animals here on the island or we would get very bad luck" Nara said "We had this man who used sell meat but when he started to sell meat of the wildlife here he began having this very bad luck in the end he started selling cabbages. I wonder where he's now." Tapping her chin thoughtfully.

"So…no meat?" Sokka said, his left eye was twitching in disbelief.

"Afraid so" Nara said.

Aang looked like he was in heaven at that moment.

"A Vegetarian world, I'm so…happy" Aang said with a huge grin.

"Well I'm not! I want meat! Tasty succulent meat! I am warrior and warriors deserve meat!" Sokka said. "I'm going to talk to this Yochi!" he takes two steps away from the group before he turned around to face Nara "Where exactly is Yochi?"

* * *

Anng was the first to see the hooded girl balancing on a tree with one leg high in air while her fists spread out to keep balance. She brought her foot down, swung it and then turned to the opposite direction before the leg was raised back up into the same position. She then leaned back and free fall off the tree till she flipped and landed on her feet to another branch.

"Hey are you Yochi!" Sokka asked loudly.

There was a loud yell before the girl fell out of the tree and into a bush in shock. The Gaang went 'ooo' in sympathy. The hooded girl popped her head out of the bush and looked directly at them very annoyed.

"Alright which one of you decided to try and kill me?" the girl growled

Sokka immediately pointed to Momo the girl however was not fooled especially when Aang looked at Sokka in disbelief.

"You want a death wish little man?" the girl barked.

"It was an accident" Sokka said.

"That's what the coroner will say after I deal with you" the girl said.

"Hey! There will be no more accidents okay! Besides when Sokka had yelled you had in avertedly fallen out of the tree" Aang said.

The hooded girl rolled her eyes before pushed herself out of the bush, brushing off the leaves once she was out. She flicked a bug off her shoulder and crossed her arms at them.

"What's your problem?" the girl asked.

"Our problem?" Aang asked.

"Yeah, those who seek safety can find this island, so what are you hiding from?" the girl asked.

"Well we really came by this place by accident and, um, I happen to be the avatar" Aang said with a sheepish look.

"The avatar huh? I thought you'd be a lot older" the girl said.

"Technically I'm 112 years old" Aang said.

The girl gaped at him before she return to a casual stance once the shock wore off.

"Weird things have happened before…why not a 112 year old avatar in a child's body" the girl shrugged to herself. "You're looking for Yochi, right?"

"Yeah." Aang said.

"I'm Yochi" the girl said, pointing to herself "What can I do you for?"

"Do you have any meat?" Sokka asked. "Or jerky?"

"I haven't been off the Island for a while so I don't have any fresh meat but I may have some jerky" Yochi said.

"I LOVE YOU!" Sokka shouted as he hugged the shocked girl.

Quite suddenly he was on his butt. Yochi had managed to get out his grip in some interesting yet gentle hand to hand combat moves before stepping to the side away from him.

"Southern Watertribe, right?" Yochi said as she straightened her clothing out.

"Err yeah" Katara said slowly.

"I think I may have met your father" Yochi said.

"You met our father!" Sokka said as he shot up from the floor.

"Yeah he did the same thing when I mention I had some Jerky…or was it sea prunes." Yochi said, scratching her head. "Is his name Mahado, Hadoki, Samota, Kahoda…"

"Hakoda?" Katara offered.

Yochi snapped her fingers in recognition "That's the one! Nice man your father is…little 'out there' with his inventions though."

"That's our Dad!" Sokka shouted happily. "Do you know which way they went?"

"When did you last see him?" Katara asked excitedly.

"Umm…two and a half months ago and I don't know which direction. Sorry." Yochi said.

The two siblings looked disappointed.

"Cheer up, at least you know he's still alive with all this war been going on and all" Yochi said to their sad faces. "C'mon I'll get you some jerky and I think I might have some fruit cake left over for our air nomad here."

"You have fruit cake!" Anng shouted out happily.

"Yeah…what's with the shouting?" Yochi asked slightly worried.

"We haven't really eaten well in a long time" Katara explained.

"Follow me then I have special stuff, but the basics are in village." Yochi said.

They began to follow Yochi through a dense forest filled with friendly animals, knowing that the humans can't harm them. Anng and Momo couldn't help but play with them along the way.

"So much meat!" Sokka drooled.

"Don't hunt them unless you want bad luck" Yochi said.

"What's up with that anyway?" Sokka asked.

"The Spirit Naibun punishes those who harm the inhabitants of the island and that means _all_ the inhabitants including the wildlife" Yochi said.

"And I don't want to go back to spirit world, they have no toilets" Sokka said.

"O…kay" Yochi said slowly.

"Don't mind Sokka, he's always like that" Katara said.

"I'll keep that in mind" Yochi said "So where are you guys heading?"

"We're heading up to the Northern Watertribe to find a water bender master for Aang and I" Katara said.

"Oh so you're a water bender" Yochi said then smiled mischievously "This should be interesting"

"Why?" Aang asked, airbending down form the trees after playing with animals.

"Well, I found a young man on the beach. He had been thrown off board his ship and had been drifting in the sea to this island. I'm helping him to get back to his uncle." Yochi said.

"That's so sad" Katara said.

"He's kind of desperate to be off the Island but I told him he has to rest. If I sail and come across a storm he'd be too weak to survive it" Yochi said.

"I've got Appa, my Sky Bison, he's the best transport and friend there is!" Aang said "I'd be glad to help him out."

"Excellent and here I thought Sky Bisons were extinct. All you have to do is drop us off on the mainland and we'll it from there" Yochi said.

"Nah! We'll help you all the way!" Aang said.

"Aang what about the Northern Watertribe?" Katara reminded the young avatar.

"I don't mind in helping these people along the way Katara" Aang said "Besides we'll passing several islands along the way. Maybe he'll spot them."

Yochi suddenly grabbed Sokka as they came to a clearing to a hut near the edge of a cliff.

"Hang on there tribe boy. Five four three two one…"

"YOCHI I'M GOING TO KILL YOU!"

The girl laughed her head off at the moment as a boy around her age with a nasty scar on his left eye burst out of the hut. He had messy very dark brown hair that nearly covered his golden brown eyes and was wearing normal trousers with an open overalls. On his barely covered chest were a few words that Yochi began to laugh again. Katara blushed at the sight of his well muscular chest and tried to hide Aangs curious eyes from the words on it while Sokka, who had read it, was laughing his ass off. Momo just screeched and hid behind Aang before popping his head over the bold monk and blink at the scary angry boy.

"It is not funny at all!" the teenager barked.

"That's what you get when you order me around Princess" Yochi grinned before gesturing to gang. "We have guests."

At this the group straightened up in an instance and gave him a some-what smile.

"Send them away, we're busy!" he barked before he stormed back into the hut.

There was a moment after the door was slammed again. Yochi turned back to group with a smile.

"Don't mind him. He's just a little grumpy that he can't have any meat here as well" Yochi said.

"What about the jerky?" Sokka asked in fear.

"He doesn't know about that" Yochi whispered in the corner of her mouth.

Katara rolled her eyes in disbelief; she could tell this was going to be long trip now that Yochi and that scarboy coming along for the ride.

* * *

Umm Review? 


	3. Chapter2: Surprises and Big Annoyances

Thanks for the reviews guys! Onto the next chappie!

**Chapter 2: Little Surprises and Big Annoyance.**

Zuko was being dragged out of hut by Yochi reluctantly. Sokka was surprised that she had managed to do it even, Zuko was bigger than her in height and in muscle mass but she managed too. She shoved him in front of her. Zuko gave her a piercing glare before looking back at the group.

"My name is Lee Zuko" Zuko said then forced out "I apologies for my behaviour earlier on"

"Odd names" Sokka said.

Zuko growled at him but before he could say anything Aang got in his way.

"I'm Aang!" Aang said "And these are my friends Katara and Sokka" he pointed them out respectively.

Katara and Sokka waved but Zuko looked like he was really uncomfortable. Yochi rolled her eyes when Zuko remained quiet then.

"Okay, before I let this go any further I have to tell you something important about Lee. So promise you won't freak?" Yochi said.

"Sure" Aang said.

"Yochi!" Zuko growled, demanding her silence.

"It has to be said otherwise they may accidently see it happen if we run into trouble" Yochi said.

Zuko looked to his side angrily.

"Lee is a firebender" Yochi stated calmly.

Sokka at once placed himself in front of Katara and pulled his boomerang out while she brought her water out of its pouch in quick movements. Aang however looked at Zuko carefully before he shrugged.

"So?" Aang said shocking all of them.

"WHAT? AANG HE'S FROM THE FIRE NATION!" Sokka shouted.

"A hundred years ago I had a friend who was from the fire nation and he wasn't bad" Aang said calmly.

"BUT FIREBENDER!" Sokka shouted.

"Yochi, has he ever tried to burn you?" Aang asked.

"Nope, he does light up when he's angry though but that's a natural reaction for all benders" Yochi said

"See? If he hadn't hurt her then there isn't need to be suspicious of him" Aang said.

"He's still from the Fire Nation Aang! A Nation that had wiped out the Air Nomads, they've nearly wiped out the Water Tribes and the Earth Kingdom is barely standing from the onslaught!" Sokka reminded the airbender.

"Just because he is part of the Fire Nation doesn't mean he is part of the onslaught" Aang argued "He deserves a chance Sokka"

"He's right Sokka" Katara said as she weaved back the water into her pouch. "We shouldn't just judge him like that but his character"

Zuko looked at her. Though he wasn't smiling there was an understanding and he relaxed a little. Sokka watched Zuko with a frown before putting his boomerang away.

"Fine. But if he pulls something stupid with us I will kick his butt" Sokka said.

"I like to see you try" Zuko said.

"Why I should—" Sokka begun as he step towards him.

"OKAY guys lets go get something to eat!" Aang said coming between the two older boys hoping the prospect of food would calm them down.

* * *

Zuko watched the 'guest' happily munching on the food. He barely controlled his temper when he spotted Sokka eating the jerky Yochi had hidden from him. It was almost like she was expecting someone like Sokka to appear. Sokka knew this and smirked, slowly chewing the jerky to rub it in his face. Zuko scrowled at him before his eyes flicked to watertribe girl. 

From where he sitting he deduced that she was pretty especially with those beautiful oval blue eyes. She looked back at him and smiled only to find he look at Aang. He was surprised that an airbender had survived the mass genocide the firenation had commited on his kind. Let alone an airbender with the tattoo markings too, wouldn't it be wise to not have them. Maybe this airbend held pride for the air nomads that once lived he guessed. Still if they had lived wouldn't more of them been seen?

"This is good fruit cake and soup!" Aang sighed happily.

"You think so?" Yochi said.

"Yeah! It's just like the way Monk Gyatso used to cook but he was always better at baking" Aang said.

"Fruit and vegetables were always the ones I do best. Meat never came out good" Yochi said.

"Just the way I like it!" Aang said.

"Maybe you can teach Katara a thing or too!" Sokka said.

Insulted by that Katara immediately walloped her brother for the comment. You NEVER insulted someone who cooked for you, ESPECIALLY when they were female.

"Hey in a way I'm complementing you, there's always room for improvement!" Sokka said, without realising he was digging himself a deeper hole.

"If you think I need improvement then I suggest that you do your own cooking from now on!" Katara barked.

"In a way Sokka is right, there's always room for improvement" Aang said.

"You're agreeing with him?!" Katara snarled at the young airbender.

"I'm just saying…"

Katara fumed at her friend and brother, who were now quivering in fear of there lack of understanding of the female species. Yochi shook her head at their ignorance.

"Bad move" Yochi said.

"You too?" Katara whipped around to Yochi.

"I have nothing to say about your cooking. I've never even tried it but I bet the meat you've cooked would be a lot better than mine. There's no need to think you brother has insulted your cooking, I'm older than you and your still young and I bet your mother did most of the cooking for you before you learnt how from her" Yochi said.

"I learnt from my Gran-Gran" Katara said.

"What about your mother?" Yochi asked.

"She died during a Fire Nation raid" Katara said.

At the corner of Aang's eyes he saw the scared boy look at her. His eyes became cloudy, lost in a memory probably that Aang had a feeling it was to do with his mother.

"I'm sorry for your loss, war does create victims along the way." Yochi said calmly "I on the other hand, wouldn't know. I was dropped off at the Nunnery when I was too young to remember my parents. What's it like to have parents?"

Katara looked stunned at the girl. For some strange reason she had expected that question to come from Aang seeing that he never knew his and now that this girl was asking she didn't quite know what to say.

"They make you feel safe, cared for and very much loved" Sokka said.

"Hmm well then I'm two out of three when it came to sister. What about you, Aang?" Yochi asked.

"Monk Gyatso was my guardian but more like my friend. It's traditional that we are handed down to someone else so we won't form earthly attachments. He was the greatest, he taught me everything about airbending and more! He always made it so fun too and along with that he taught me really good morals too. I guess in a way he was like a father as he was a friend for me." Aang said then looked at Zuko "What about you?" trying to include him in.

Zuko took one look at Aang before he got up and left the hut.

"That was rude of him" Sokka said.

"It's okay Sokka, it's probably something he isn't comfortable about" Aang said.

"But still…" Katara began.

"I wouldn't say anything to him if I were you" Yochi said.

"Why?" Katara asked.

"Don't ask" Yochi said.

"Why not?" Katara asked.

"Because it's personal so drop it" Yochi said, looking very serious at that moment.

"Did the war take away his parents?" Katara asked ignoring the look.

"He's a troubled guy so either drop it or risk being burned by him, your choice" Yochi said, her eyes telling her to 'BACK OFF'.

"Fine" Katara said.

Satisfied Yochi turned back to the rest of the group

"So, who wants more fruit cake?" Yochi said returning to her smiling self.

"I DO!" Aang yelled happily.

"I'll drop it…for now" Katara muttered under her breath.

* * *

When everyone was settled down in the hut Yochi walked outside and saw Zuko sitting on the grass. He was starring out into the open ocean, almost meditatively. She didn't bother sneaking up on him, the worse thing you could with a firebender. She walked up to him and sat down beside him. There was quiet between them for a moment before she sensed he was worried about something.

"What's the matter?" Yochi asked.

"Nothing" Zuko said.

"Lier" Yochi said

Zuko sighed reluctantly, she was annoying but she was still kind and a good listener and adviser. She reminded him of his uncle but without his addition to tea and his wise proverbs.

"Yochi, I think that this is a very bad idea. What if they find out who I really am?" Zuko asked worriedly.

"So far, they know you can firebend. We'll feed them little pieces of information about you and you'll be fine" Yochi said.

"I don't want them to know anything about me" Zuko said.

"They need to know they can trust you" Yochi said.

"I don't need there trust! All I want to do is find my uncle"

"And you will but you have to understand that because Aang is an air nomad. They have always been known to easily trust people upon the first meeting but his friend Sokka will feel you are a threat" Yochi said then crossed her arms "Why are you trying to throw this opportunity away to find you uncle faster and isn't by air faster?"

Zuko was quiet and looked away, crossing his arms in defence.

"Fine, unless you can give me a good reason why you don't want to go with them we are still taking their offer" Yochi said.

Zuko snapped back to her.

"So you could be rid of me faster?" Zuko said.

"Oh no, don't you try and pull that one! If anyone is trying to get rid of anyone faster it's you!" Yochi said "We are going to find your uncle and you are going to thank them and not act like the royal pain in the butt along the way!"

"I don't need you bossing me around!" Zuko said.

Yochi opened her mouth then paused before smirked "Fine, _I_ won't boss you around but you are still coming"

Zuko looked at her suspiciously. Normally they would argue for a while until one of them gave up. But now she was sporting a smirk that would give Azula a run for her money.

"What are you up to?" Zuko said.

"I'm not going to do anything Princess, you're just paranoid" Yochi said before she stood and walked back into the hut passing Katara.

Yochi gave the younger girl a smile before settled herself by the fire near Aang. Sneaking some fruit cake away from the avatar only to have Momo sneaking it off her. Katara giggled and turned to the firebender, who was now meditating near the cliff and walked up to him.

"Mind if I join you?" Katara asked.

Zuko didn't say anything. Katara was a little annoyed but wasn't put off so she sat down next to him in the same position and closed her eyes. Even though she tried her best to concentrate she couldn't, Aang's laughter could be heard after Sokka made a joke.

"You're doing it wrong" Zuko said.

"Oh so you speak then" Katara said, a bit miffed as she looked at the firebender.

He rolled his eyes before grabbing both her ankles and pushed them towards her before pressing his hand against her spine to straighten it. Katara flushed in embarrassment and annoyance at the man handling Zuko perform.

"You could have told me what to do instead" Katara said.

"You wouldn't have got it if I did" Zuko said.

"You're doubting my intelligence?" Katara growled.

"You're a waterbender, you barely meditate or just don't meditate at all. You don't require a lot of breathing exercises" Zuko said pointedly.

"And you would know this how? You're a firebender, you wouldn't know" Katara said, almost spitefully.

"Wind and Fire can be produced by an Airbender and Firbender respectively both need breathing exercises to control it since they are intangible. Earth and Water are _manipulated_ by an Eathbender and Waterbender respectively both have a _grip_ to them because they are physical." Zuko said simply.

Katara sat there stunned and impressed. This was one smart Firebender. Just who was this guy? He didn't say much and she guess her Gran-Gran was right; it was always the quiet ones that get you. But her silence didn't last long.

"And HOW do you know this?" Katara narrowed her eyes.

"I came to that conclusion after meeting many waterbenders and earthbenders in my travels. My Uncle simply confirmed it." Zuko said.

Katara was still persistent.

"Aang is the last of his kind, how would you know he requires breath control?" Katara said.

Zuko gave her an incredulous look "That really goes without saying"

"You're just assuming" Katara said, crossing her arms.

Zuko rolled his eyes heaven ward. Why on earth did that wave take him off his ship? He could be with his uncle now, playing a game maybe even drinking some of his awful tea. Maybe even smiling while his uncle laughed over their good fortune of surviving the storm. But no! The Spirits had to ruin his life by that stupid storm, being found by that annoying girl and NOW more annoying people were here to annoy some more. What was ironic about it was that these annoying people wanted to help him…well the watertribe boy was reluctant but still they were going to help him.

"You are really starting to annoy me" Zuko said.

"You already are" Katara said back.

* * *

Yes, slow beginning of the journey but I like developing my stories. It's who I am. Uh Review? 


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